With 3 on leave, Southwest Airlines plans safety review

With 3 staffers on leave, Southwest plans airline reviewA week after call for $10.2 million penalty for missing safety inspections, company hires outside expert and promises to fix problems

BILL HENSEL JR., Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Published 5:30 am, Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Southwest Airlines has put three employees on leave and hired an outside consultant to review maintenance procedures in the wake of revelations it missed some required airplane inspections.

The carrier's action comes after the Federal Aviation Administration last week proposed a record $10.2 million fine for missing safety inspections on 46 planes.

The workers of Dallas-based Southwest who were placed on administrative leave were not identified.

But Southwest's chief executive, Gary Kelly, said Tuesday the carrier's action is based on preliminary findings of its own internal investigation into allegations that it violated FAA regulations in March 2007.

He said he received those conclusions Monday.

"I am concerned with some of our findings as to our controls over procedures within our maintenance airworthiness directive and regulatory compliance processes," Kelly said in a prepared statement.

Last week, Southwest said it thought the FAA had closed its review of the inspections.

FAA aviation safety inspectors Charalambe Boutris and Douglas Peters said the principal maintenance inspector for Southwest knowingly allowed the airline to operate planes unsafely, after the inspection dates for airframes had passed and without a required maintenance check, according to the documents.

Kelly said Tuesday that in addition to placing employees on leave and hiring an outside consultant, Southwest is engaged with the FAA on its current audit of the airline. It also has committed to FAA officials that it will investigate and address any maintenance control deficiencies.

"These are important and necessary steps," Kelly said. "We have been a safe company. I believe we are a safe company. I am committed to making sure we become safer still."